Performance in the Field

Sportsman feeds have a performance potential which is second to none. This was shown in a recent trial in which partridges hatched on the same day, from the same source were reared on Sportsman or two different competitor feeds. Those birds fed on Sportsman had better growth, evenness and feathering at the end of the trial and were judged to be in much better condition prior to release.

The charts below show the data for liveweight and evenness:

Sportsman Game Feeds offer a choice of two ranges of feed to their customers, the Sportsman and Sportsman Essential ranges. A trial was carried out to compare their performance between 6 and 12 weeks of age in growing partridge.

Both groups of birds grew well with no significant differences in mortality or feather score between them, showing that both ranges of feeds would support good levels of performance in the field. However, unsurprisingly, the partridge fed the more highly specified Sportsman feeds grew better over this period and were more even at the end of the trial, and there was some suggestion that the feed intake of these birds was lower.

The chart below shows the comparison between the ranges for liveweight gain:

This trial showed that the Sportsman feeds gave better performance and the value of this better performance more than offset their higher cost per tonne. The use of these feeds is particularly appropriate to situations where the environment is such that the benefits of higher levels of performance can be expressed and demonstrated. However, incorporating the same high quality raw materials, the Sportsman Essentials range also performed well. These feeds are specifically designed for situations where their relatively lower cost makes for an attractive cost-effective feeding regime.

In the field

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